The other day as I was looking in my freezer I noticed my collection of black bananas had considerably grown.  Whenever bananas get too ripe for me to enjoy, I toss them in the freezer as a way of preserving them for some other use.  As a kid growing up on a farm in a household that was “less than wealthy”, we were taught not to waste food.  Now as an adult I completely understand and appreciate this valuable principle my parents were trying to instill in all of us.  I decided it was time to do something with some of my rescued fruit, but what?

Banana bread of course was the first thing that came to mind and I almost went there, but that is what I always do and I wanted something different.  Then out of the blue I recalled a cake I had as a kid. In the rural setting we grew up in there would be community dinners or pot-lucks every so often, usually in the basement of a nearby church.  One of the families always brought a banana cake with vanilla frosting to the suppers.  I remembered just how much I loved that cake,  and realized I had not seen or even thought about a banana cake in decades.

I set about searching for the perfect cake recipe to use up some of my bananas.  During my searching I realized that banana cake really is considered a retro dessert. Very popular in the 50’s and 60’s, the appearance of this dessert has become rather scarce.  Most of the recipes I came across were titled “Old Fashioned” or “Grandmothers” banana cake.  I settled on this recipe which reminds me of the cake I had as a kid.  I also liked the fact the author of the recipe was written by Mamie, not a name you see often today, but most likely someones grandmother.  For the frosting I turned to someone who has been around for a long time and was there before retro was retro, the sweet talker herself Betty Crocker.  Of course I had to pimp up this dessert a bit by making it a 4 story cake, and adding toasted walnuts and drizzles of chocolate and peanut butter.  Far from that church basement dessert I so fondly remember, this cake really is a rock star of cakes.

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Banana Layer Cake with Vanilla Frosting

Moist and delicious banana layer cake with a creamy vanilla frosting. Popular in the 50’s and 60’s this recipe gives this retro treat a new twist.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Retro

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Slices

Ingredients

Cake

• ½ cup butter 1 stick, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup ripe bananas 3 to 4, mashed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour sifted
• 2½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional

Frosting

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup butter softened
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla powder optional
• 1-2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

Cake

• Heat oven to 375ºF.
• Grease and flour 2 – 9″ cake pans.
• Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well to combine.
• In a separate bowl combine bananas and buttermilk.
• Sift together all dry ingredients.
• Add flour mixture to butter and sugar a third at a time, alternating with banana buttermilk mixture.
• Fold in nuts if desired.
• Divide batter equally between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Remove cakes from pans and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Frosting

• Mix together powdered sugar and butter with a spoon or a mixer on low-speed.
• Add vanilla and 1 Tablespoon of the milk.
• Gradually add in just enough remaining milk to make the frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting becomes to thick, slowly add more milk a few drops at a time. If frosting is too thin, add small amount of powdered sugar.

Assemble

• Cut cakes in half to create 4 layers
• Spread frosting between layers to stack
• Stand in fridge for 30 minutes to firm up before frosting top and sides
• Gently press chopped walnuts on to the sides of the cake
• Decorate with melted chocolate and butterscotch (optional)

Notes

This recipe was written by Mamie L. Christopherson which I found on Relish.com. I used two 6″ cake pans to make a tall 4 layer cake. Baking time described is for 2 – 9″ cake pans. If using different sized pans, adjust time accordingly.

A combination of flavors that is undeniably hard to beat is chocolate and peanut butter, and this cake definitely brings the two favorites together to create one stunning treat. Moist chocolate cake is covered with a creamy rich peanut butter frosting and layered with chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups, then topped with a dark chocolate gananche. A sweet tooth’s dream come true.

I finally broke down and treated myself to some 6″ x 3″ cake pans. I had been wanting some for a while, and I guess I just needed a good excuse. If you have not tried Fat Daddio’s bakeware, I strongly recommend it! High quality and very reasonable prices.

Any cake whether it is made from scratch or from a box, can be baked in any size pan, assuming you have enough batter. Below is a chart I have assembled that lists some common pan sizes, the amount of batter you need to fill them, the recommended baking temperature and time. I find it rather handy. There is a link below the chart if you would like to print it out for future reference.

Printable PDF of chart: Layer Cake Baking Times & Temps

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Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cake

A combination of flavors that is undeniably hard to beat is chocolate and peanut butter, and this cake definitely brings the two favorites together to create one stunning treat. Moist chocolate cake is covered with a creamy rich peanut butter frosting and layered with chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups, then topped with a dark chocolate gananche. A sweet tooth’s dream come true.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ cups sugar
• ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1½ cups water
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1½ - 2 cups chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter cups filling and garnish

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1½ teaspoons instant Espresso coffee

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease cake pans with butter or spray (no need for flour with this recipe). Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper and lightly grease the paper.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together all dry ingredients.
• On low-speed, add the oil and yogurt, mix to combine.
• Slowly add water, vinegar, and vanilla.
• Add the eggs one at a time. Increase to medium speed and beat mixture until completely combined about two minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally.
• Divide evenly among pans.
• Bake for the recommended time for the pan size you are using (see chart above). Cakes are done when the center springs back when lightly touched. You can also test your cakes by inserting a tooth pick in the center.
• Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 20 minutes before removing them. Place on a wire rack to completely cool.

Peanut Butter Frosting

• Cream together peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer.
• Add salt and vanilla.
• Slowly add whipping cream.
• Mix on medium-high speed for 3 – 4 minutes or until frosting is light a fluffy.
• Assemble
• Level the cakes with a sharp knife and cut into more layers if desired (I cut each layer in half to create four).
• Place a small dollop of frosting on the center of a cake round or plate (this will prevent the cake from sliding).
• Place first layer on cake, spread with an even coat of frosting. Sprinkle evenly with chopped Reese’s cups. Add next layer and repeat.
• Frost the top and sides of the cake. Allow frosting to set up for several hours before adding the ganache.

Ganache Topping

• Place chocolate chips in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
• Heat cream just to the point of boiling either on the stove or in the microwave. Pour hot cream over chips and allow to stand for several minutes. Using a whisk slowly stir cream and chips. The heat of the cream will melt the chips.
• Mix until completely smooth.
• Add espresso powder and mix well.
• Allow to stand. Ganache will thicken as it cools.

Finishing Touches

• Let the ganache cool until it starts to thicken but still pour-able. Pour on to center of cake. Using a small spatula spread the ganache evenly towards the edges of the cake allowing some to flow down.
• Add more chopped peanut butter cups on top and drizzle with ganache.
• Allow cake to set up several hours before cutting.
• Keep uneaten cake in the refrigerator.

Notes

While I really enjoy making my own cake from scratch, you could most certainly use a boxed cake mix in the interest of time. I usually like to bake my cakes the day before I assemble them. Once they are completely cool, I wrap them in plastic wrap and hold until I am ready to put it all together. This really makes the project much easier than doing everything at once.

Cake recipe adapted from the Smitten Kitchen. Frosting recipe courtesy Smells Like Home.